ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager with a Request for Direction on Potential Changes to the RIVERFRONT ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT Rules and Regulations. (District 1)
Body
BACKGROUND:
The City Council created the "Riverfront Entertainment District" (RED) pilot program via ordinance 16,550 in 2010. The ordinance allowed the closure of public rights-of-way for the purposes of street festivals in a area bounded by Hamilton Boulevard, the Illinois River, State Street and Water Street (inclusive of all buildings facing Water Street). A map of the RED is attached. Council removed the pilot status of the program via ordinance 16,666 in 2011 and in 2012 extended the hours of operation via ordinance 16,864. The most recent ordinance is attached as is the RED application form.
The ordinance further allows licensed liquor establishments within the RED to serve and sell alcohol within these rights-of-way provided that the area of consumption is fenced off and security is provided. The RED concept has been popular and staff is seeking direction on how the program should be expanded or altered. For example, in 2014 a request was made to close all of Water Street to accommodate a festival that took up the entire street from Main Street to State Street. Since fencing that entire area was impractical and would have prevented through traffic accessing the river front parking lots and businesses, staff had to process the event as a "public event" and make allowances for the carrying and consumption of alcohol within the festival. This episode prompted staff to begin considering potential changes to the RED ordinance.
Staff is seeking initial direction from the City Council regarding this effort prior to investing staff time in researching other municipalities, seeking public input, and drafting ordinances. Some potential questions to contemplate:
1. Should the RED boundaries be extended?
2. Should patrons be allowed to carry alcoh...
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